


The who now?

by Stormhowl



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Eddie didn´t die, F/M, First Kiss, Flashpoint did happen, Happy Ending, Iris is with Eddie, Len did die in LoT, Len has a daughter, Len won´t be dead for long, M/M, Partly canon - some things happen but other´s don´t, Sex, The kiss with Iris didn´t happen, There will be kissing and more, Will probably add more tags later but if you´re reading this later then I guess it´s now for you, coldflash - Freeform, so I guess not completely canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-02
Updated: 2017-04-10
Packaged: 2018-09-27 22:16:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 16,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10053857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stormhowl/pseuds/Stormhowl
Summary: Leonard Snart has a daughter, and she seeks out team Flash to help save the dad she´s never met before he´s killed while destroying the timemasters.And there will be ColdFlash, so don´t worry if that´s why you want to read it, but if that´s not the reason then don´t worry cause I´m planning a super cool story too. And now I´m rambling.And I thought the title was a funny reference but it also fits with the story ;)





	1. Blizzard

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Flash fanfic so bear with me, and I would be super happy if you let me know what you think.  
> Thanks for reading my story!
> 
> Not beta read so it could have some errors but I´m trying to catch them as I go :)

This was it, finally the time had come. She was almost ready now as she pulled on her blue parka, pulled the hood up, her blonde hair hanging out slightly, flowing past her shoulders, and then she strapped the gun to the holster on her leg. She was ready. She took a deep breath; this was really it. She had prepared for this ever since she found out and now it was time to fix things. She grabbed the keys from the bowl on the small table just inside the door of her apartment, her bike standing in the small parking lot outside. She threw one final glance at the photo of herself and her mom. _Okay, mom, I'm going now, wish me luck_.

 

****

 

He was out doing his normal daily run through the city. So far today he had saved a small boy who had tripped in the middle of the road with a car rushing towards him. Then Cisco had informed him of an ongoing robbery at gun point at a jewelry store, he was there 2 seconds later and easily apprehended the guy. Not at all as stressful or exhausting as _some_ thieves made it. Like Captain Cold and Heatwave. Those definitely didn't make things easy for him. And then it hit him that he'd stopped Captain Cold for the last time, because he was died. Ray Palmer had recently told Barry that Snart had died, as a hero no less. Who would have thought that the infamous villain, the thief Captain Cold, would die as a hero, a legend. But it felt strange, it would have been interesting meeting that person. He would probably still have been a pain in the ass with bad puns though. He chuckled a bit at that but sobered up quickly. He didn't know why but he felt a bit sad that Snart was dead, sure he should technically be in prison if you looked at his record before Barry had deleted it, but that didn't mean he deserved to die. He snapped his attention back to the robber who lay unconscious on the floor at the same time as he heard sirens outside, his queue that he could leave.

 

He was back to running through the city, when he heard Cisco's uncertain voice.

"Uhm, Barry?" He sounded puzzled, confused.

"What's up, Cisco?"

"We just got a report that someone's spotted Captain Cold outside the bank, and the monitors have picked up signs of the cold gun."  What? That was impossible, Snart was dead, blown up with the timemasters.

"Cisco, that's impossible, we both know Snart's dead." He was, right?

"I know Barry, but that's definitely the cold gun." Still, Cisco didn't sound that sure.

Only one way to find out, he turned around and set for the bank. But he wouldn't admit to anyone, least of all himself, that deep down he might have been hoping that in some crazy, impossible way, it was Snart. And just look at him, wasn't he himself the impossible? But there should be no way for Snart to be alive, Ray had said that the explosion took out everything and everyone. He shook his head, Snart or not, only one way to find out, and more importantly, stop them from robbing the bank.

When he arrived outside the bank there were people running around him, well past him and away from there. He looked up to find the person causing the havoc, and sure as it was there by the entrance stood someone in an awfully similar outfit to Captain Cold. A blue parka, with the hood pulled up, the black boots, and cold gun in hand. He drew in a breath, _was it really_?

The person still wasn´t looking at him and he started to take in his surroundings, while still keeping an eye on them. And while he might have had a second of hope – would deny it to his death if asked about it – that it was Snart, now as he walked closer he could clearly see that it wasn´t. This person was much shorter, and smaller build. They finally turned to look at him, and he fought to not look shocked, it was a girl. The blonde hair falling down both sides of her head a clear indicator. But that was not what shocked him the most, there were plenty of female villains out there after all, some of the a real pain in the ass. As he looked at her more closely, he could see that she was young, way too young to be robbing banks, or to be in disguise as Captain Cold.

She seemed to recognize him as she saw him standing there, her lips turned into a grin.

“Flash, so happy you could join me!” That was a new one, usually the people, mostly metas, he chased, didn´t want him to come at all, they definitely didn´t smile when they saw him. But this one did, her grin growing bigger and bigger by the second.

“You are?” What? He was curious after all.

“You are exactly the man I was hoping to see” She raised her gun. Oh, so apparently she wanted to kill him, it seemed. But she didn´t fire it, she just looked at it, more like admiring it actually. Where did she get it from exactly? Because it looked exactly like the cold gun from where he was standing, he´d now moved so he was only 30 feet from her.

“Beautiful isn´t it? I´m quite proud of it if I say so myself.” Huh? Was she just saying that she´d built it? No she couldn´t, right? Right, she must have stolen it from Snart, somehow, but that also seemed impossible to do, it was, no had been, Snart after all.

“I think Captain Cold wouldn´t be too happy about you borrowing his gun.” He said, going after his, not so realistic assumption that she´d stolen it, because how could a girl who didn´t look older than 15 build a cold gun that looked exactly like the one Cisco´d made? Judging by how her smile fell slightly, she wasn´t happy about his comment.

“You think I stole it? Please like I wouldn´t be able to build one myself.”

“You built it?!” He could practically see the shock showing on his face.

“Yup” She said, a popping sound on the p.

“And now you´re here, a bit slower than I expected if I´m honest, but that doesn´t matter.” Aside from the fact that he felt a little offended at that, he still had no idea what this girls plan was.

“You want me to stop you?” This was definitely one of the stranger encounters he´d shared with a criminal.

“Stop me? Oh that, I haven´t actually hurt anyone you know, I only had some fun so you´d notice me, and you have.” She was back to full grin now, and a sneaky look in her eyes. He looked around and could see that she was telling the truth, at least about the no hurting anyone part. There was only one spot covered in ice and that was the bark of a tree. But this didn´t help him at all, more like he was even more confused than before.

“Barry, what´s going on?” He heard Cisco´s voice in his head, forgetting they were there.

“I have no idea, man.” His eyes still on her as he addressed Cisco.

“Is that Cisco you´re talking with?” He did a double take. What the hell?

“Wait, what, no it´s – hang on – how do you-“ She started laughing, a big laugh, its sound filling the street.

“You´re funny Barr-” He had moved before she finished the sentence, scooping her up and running straight for Star Labs.

“Dude, what the he-“ Cisco abruptly shut up when he saw that Barry wasn´t alone. Both Cisco and Caitlyn´s eyes shot wide when they looked from Barry to the Captain Cold lookalike girl.

“That.. that´s not Captain Cold.”

“I can see that Cisco.”

“Who is she and why did you bring her here Ba-Flash?” Caitlyn asked, looking as unsure of what was happening as Barry felt.

Then the girl decided to speak up.

“Hello, Caitlyn” Her face still sporting that smile.  “And Barry that was super fun!” Caitlyn and Cisco´s eyes went wider, Barry wasn´t even sure it was humanly possible for eyes to do that, but apparently today is full of surprises.

“Barry!” Caitlyn hissed after moving past the initial shock enough to speak. “What the hell is going on?”

Barry drew a hand over his face, before turning towards the girl, Cisco and Caitlyn did the same.

“Yeah, I´d like to know that too.” His voice sounded as confused as he felt.

With all of the attention on her, he might have imagined it, but he thought she suddenly looked a little nervous, but she covered it up quickly.

“Oh, yeah I guess I should give you some explanation.” Barry heard Cisco´s _uh huh,_ and could almost hear the _`you think_ ´ that he didn´t say.

“For starters, who are you?” That was Caitlyn.

She seemed to hesitate slightly before answering.

“Well my name´s Leilani, but most people call me Leila. Although you can call me Blizzard.” She looked straight at Cisco now. “Sorry Cisco, but I wanted to pick my own code name.” She said the last part with a smirk. Barry´s be lying if he said it wouldn´t be funny if Cisco fell off the chair that he was so close to doing when she said that.  

“How do you know all this about us, and what do you want from us?” Her name didn´t provide any useful information at all at the moment, and Barry didn´t like being in the dark.

“And why Blizzard?” Cisco couldn´t help but quirk in.

“I have my ways, and I need your help. And also, Cisco, I thought a name that was close to my father´s name was kind of suiting.” She had a glint in her eyes like she was in on a secret and they weren´t.

“What do you-“ Barry started, but then stopped. He looked at her again, looked at her clothes; the blue parka, the boots, _the gun_. She couldn´t mean-

“Oh speaking of my name, that brings me to why I´m here, I need your help saving my dad, Leonard Snart. Also known as Captain Cold.” Barry practically heard three jaws fall to the floor.


	2. We´re Golden?

This time Cisco did fall off the chair, and if he hadn´t been in shock, Barry probably would have laughed. But not this time. He looked at his friends and they were staring at the girl, he couldn´t help but turn to her as well. Snart had a daughter?! Had they somehow landed on a different earth? And how come they didn´t know he had a daughter? Granted there was probably a lot of things they didn´t know about Snart, but judging by her outfit, and the cold gun she´d put in its holster, she and her dad? man that felt weird to say, well think, ergh whatever. Anyway since she had a cold gun eerily similar to the original one, she must have had the real one to go off. Which meant she must have spent a lot of time with it, and with Snart, since he never left the thing. So how come they´d never seen, let alone heard of a mini Cold running around?

Leilani, Leila, must think they all looked really funny cause she interrupted his thoughts by bursting out into a full on laughter.

“You should all see your faces right now, you look hilarious!” Somehow they all turned to look at each other, and it took a few seconds before they all snapped out of their own thoughts.

“Wait” Cisco started, “You´re Captain Cold´s daughter? Captain Cold?” The disbelief as clear on his face as snow on a summer’s day.

“Yup” This girl did have Snart´s smirk, that´s for sure.

“But how do you know who we, wait he told you who we were?!” He didn´t mean for the angry tone to slip out, but he couldn´t help it. In some weird way he had thought Snart would keep his secret. But Leila shock her head.

“No, don´t worry Barry, he didn´t tell me. He kept your secret.” Her smile was faltering a bit, a more sober look in her eyes. He almost had the urge to go hug her, because he was starting to see that exterior of hers cracking a little at the sides. But the thought only managed to cross his mind before she was rebuilding that wall, fixing it crack by crack until it was sealed tight again.

“But if he didn´t tell you, then how?” Caitlyn´s voice was almost back to its normal tone.

Leila gave a small smile, but it didn´t reach her eyes like the previous ones.

“I´m quite good at trailing people and doing stakeouts.” Barry still got the sinking feeling that there was something she wasn´t telling them. But she continued before he got a chance to speak.

“But I won´t tell anyone, as long as you help me.” She sounded serious, but almost a bit nervous? And now that he was really looking at her he could see that she was indeed young. She had pulled down the hood of her jacket, and opened it up a little, he couldn´t blame her it was hot in here, her gun was in the holster. She wasn´t tall either, she barely went up to his shoulders. While her walls were back up he could still catch a few hints of nervousness. Heck he´d probably be nervous too if he was in her position, he wouldn´t be able to hide it as well though, because if he hadn´t been looking at her with searching eyes, he wouldn´t have caught it.

“How old are you?” This was Caitlyn, her voice had slightly softened too.

It looked as if she was contemplating sharing that information, but then she said

“16.” Her voice was even.

“And how did you manage to get Cold´s gun? I thought he had it with him when he-“ Cisco cut himself off, somehow realizing what he´d been about to say.

Barry was about to cut in too, but mostly because he didn´t want her to get offended again as she´d been when he had asked. But she cut him to it and just huffed.

“Please, I made this myself.” She had a smirk back, a little cocky this time.

“Why? You thought you were the only one capable of building one Cisco?” She was teasing him. She definitely had the Snart genes alright.

“Uhm, no, I mean, uh”

She just laughed in respond, he could even see Caitlyn fighting to hold off snickering.

“But seriously, how did you manage to build a replica of the cold gun?” Caitlyn sounded very curious.

“Did Capt, I mean Snart, let you pick his apart? That didn´t sound like him though.” Barry was very curious about this too, because there was a reason not every villain in the city had one, they were hard to build, and expensive. “And how did you even afford all the par, wait did Snart steal them for you?” Barry wanted to give himself a facepalm, of course Snark must have stolen them. But she once again shock her head.

“No, I didn´t need his help stealing the stuff.” She looked sheepish. Setting aside that fact that she just admitted to stealing, how could she have done it herself? And when? And how come they hadn´t heard anything about stolen parts that could be used for a very particular type of gun. He was going to have a headache.

“And no, I have never actually been near the cold gun, let alone picked it apart.”

He didn´t get a chance to voice any of the million questions that statement brought up because in the next second the alarms started blaring through Star labs.

 

****

 

Cisco´s focus went straight back to the computers, while Barry looked at her, as if this was her doing. But she had no idea what was going on, her eyes went up to meet his.

“Was this your plan all along? Distract us while your friends broke in?” She shook her head immediately, no that wasn´t her plan, and she didn´t have any friends, none what so ever. But of course they´d suspect her, she probably would have to.

She was about to say she had nothing to do with this when she heard footsteps, and at the same time Cisco let out an annoyed sound, and shut of the alarm.

“Don´t worry guys, it´s only-“ He didn´t have a chance to say anything else before a woman came in through the opening. She was dressed in a leather jacket and black boots. Her brown hair had soft curls in it that went past her shoulders. She knew immediately who it was.

“What did you do to my brother Flash?” Lisa Snart´s voice shouted into the room.

“I haven´t seen him in months, and then I hear he was grabbed by the Flash the first appearance he makes” She was definitely angry, and had finished speaking before the others had even turned to look at her.

“Hi Lisa” Cisco said, sounding a bit unsure. Lisa just stared at him.

“Well, where is he?” Lisa hadn´t looked at her yet, her full attention directed to the Flash now. She had suspected that Lisa didn´t know her dad, Leonard, it still felt weird referring to him as dad, was dead. But this was confirmed it. Barry looked uncomfortable suddenly, unsure of what to say, she would have been too.

“Uhm, Lisa, eh” he started.

“Spit it out Flash!” Then she caught sight of her. “And who is this wannabe?” She said, pointing at Leila. She had to admit that she did look like a copycat. Suddenly she felt silly for doing all this, could she really do it? She was brought out of her thoughts by the others puzzled looks. Ah that´s right, they didn´t know that part either.

“You don´t know her?” Barry said confusingly.

“No, should I?” She had been meaning to tell them, eventually, okay maybe.

“And you don´t know about Snart?” Was that sympathy she saw in his eyes? Well she shouldn´t be surprised, Barry was one of the good ones after all. So sympathy for a girl who didn´t know her brother was dead wasn´t that unexpected.

“No, what´s with Lenny? Where is he?” Lisa looked unsure now, eyes flicking from her to the Flash.

“Don´t tell me he´s turned into a girl” She huffed out in disbelief.

“No, Lisa maybe you should sit down.” Barry, the Flash, was slowly approaching her. But when Lisa noticed she backed away.

“I think I´ll stand.”

“Lisa, I think you want to sit down.” It was Cisco this time, who had stood up and was also talking slow steps towards her, hand half stretched out as if he wasn´t sure whether to touch her or not.

“You guys are scaring me, and who is that?” She said once again, directing her gaze at Leila. She hadn´t planned for this, Lisa shouldn´t be here. But she shouldn´t have been surprised, she mentally scolded herself for not anticipating it.

She saw Barry take a deep breath.

“Lisa, Leonard is dead.” First everyone in the room went completely still, Lisa´s eyes going blank, and then there was an agonizing scream that pitched through the entire room. Cisco was at Lisa´s side, holding her as her legs gave in and she went down on her knees.

Both Barry and Caitlyn now have a sad look in their eyes when they look at Lisa. But as soon as they look to her confusion is taking over. She probably would have been as well.

After a few minutes Lisa calms down, well as much as you can when you find out your brother is dead, and then starts to stand up, Cisco lets go of her but still stands close.

Her eyes land on Barry, still his mask covering his face.

“I can´t imagine you killed him” It´s not exactly a question but she still looks for confirmation, Barry shakes his head. “Then how do you know he´s dead when I don´t” She swallows and takes another breath, “and how did he die?”

Although she was most likely the only one in the room who knew the details of how, she stayed quiet, she still hadn´t decided how much it was vise to share.

“All we know is what Ray Palmer told us, that he died in a fight with these timemasters, Ray said he died saving everyone, that he was a hero.”

“He would have hated to hear you call him that” But even as she said it, it wasn´t angry, instead she had a sad smile and a tear rolling down her cheek.

“I knew he never should have gotten on that stupid ship.” They all went quiet for a while, seemingly forgotten about her standing there, leaning against a wall. But of course, as if they´d heard her, they all seemed to remember, at the same time, that she was there, because suddenly all eyes were on her. She didn´t know who she should look at though, so her eyes went back and forth between Barry and Lisa. Lisa was the first who spoke.

“My brother being dead still doesn´t explain her.” If only she knew. “Who is she, Flash?” Lisa´s intense look was still on her, but she wouldn´t back down. She was just as stubborn; they were family after all.

Barry looked from Lisa and back to her, probably just as confused since he probably expected them to know each other.

“You really don´t know her?” Barry directed the question at Lisa, whose eyes were still on her.

“Flash, why should I know every ´fan´ Lenny has.. had?” She corrected herself. Her eyes still holding sadness.

Now Barry´s focus was on her, she wanted to laugh at the whole situation, but she knew it´d be a stiff one, and now wasn´t the time either.

“Leila?”  He didn´t say anything else, but she knew what he wanted to ask.

“Yes?” She should probably explain, but she was still figuring out a way to do it without saying too much.

“Care to explain why she doesn´t know you if you are who you said you are?” He was being as vague as possible, giving her a last chance to come clean if she was lying, she realized. But she hadn´t been lying. She steeled herself, drew in a breath, she was the one who´d sought them out after all.

"I guess I should, Flash." She used his moniker even though she was like 99 percent certain that Lisa already knew, but no use in risking angering Barry right now, especially since she still needed help. All eyes were on her as she started talking.

"Okay, my name is Leilani” Another deep breath “And my dad is Leonard Snart." She looked at Lisa, waiting to see her reaction. Yup she was shocked, and eyeing her suspiciously.

"You're Lenny's daughter?" Disbelief, surprise, and suspicion clear in her voice.

"Yes." Well this wasn't awkward at all. She tried to sound confident and nonchalant, but she could feel her walls start to crack.

"Wait, why doesn't Lisa, Snart's sister, know that you're his daughter?" Barry asked.

"Well, actually, neither did he."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what did you think? Are you surprised I brought in Lisa this early? And were you surprised that she didn´t know Leila?
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	3. On and on it spins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I essentially started this fic because someone had to fix the problem about Len being dead, (because duh, we can´t leave things like that!) and I´m coming up with some awesome plots to make that happen!
> 
> Here´s some more pieces of the puzzle.
> 
> Thanks for reading and please let me know what you think!

They all probably did think she was a crazy stalker by now, she sure sounded and looked like one. But while Leonard hadn't known she even existed, she had known him. Knew of things he, and Lisa, had went through that no one should ever go through. Had seen more things than any of them could guess.  In fact, she knew things about the people in this room that she expected very few did, thinking about how she'd explain that, if she ever could, only gave her a headache though, and yeah it definitely made her sound crazy.

 

"Wait, you don't even know him?" Barry sounded as lost as he'd had since she met him.

 _Oh no I do, in a way_. But she didn't say that.

"Well, technically, no."

"So you don't know him and yet you come to us, not knowing what will happen, asking us to save him? And speaking of, how would we even be able to save him?" He said the last part with a vary tone. They both knew that he could travel back in time. But that wasn't something anyone outside of Team Flash should know, she realized. Well she did know, and yes it might well be a crazy plan, but she sure as hell was going to try.

"Pretty much." It was if something clicked for Lisa because she turned to Barry.

"Wait, you can save Lenny?" As soon as the words left her lips a flicker of hope shone in her eyes, a last straw to grasp.

"No. I mean.." Barry didn't seem to know what to answer so he turned back to her instead.

"Why do you think I could save him?" She just looked pointedly at him, as if he really wanted her to spell it out, grasping at a small chance that she actually didn't know anything. Fine, have it that way.

"Well, you've run back in time a few times by now, so I think you know what I'm referring to." Barry and the rest of them sucked in a breath, like she'd just outed their deepest darkest secrets. Lisa's reaction was one of utter disbelief though.

"You can do that?!"

"Uhm, maybe." His attention was fully on Leila though.

"How? I mean that's, how can you possibly know that?"

Before she had a chance to avoid Barry´s question, Lisa was talking, to her this time.

"And you came here, to the Flash, to save Lenny?" It was as if the suspicion Lisa had shown towards her was taking a background role, now it sounded more like she had a hard time believing what to think. She'd probably feel the same.

"Yeah, pretty much." She didn't sound so sure now as she had a few minutes ago. She hadn't expected to meet Lisa, not yet anyway. Lisa turned to Barry.

“And you can travel back in time?” He seemed to have realized that there was no point in hiding it.

“Yes, if I run fast enough I could travel back in time.”

“Then you can save Lenny?” there was definitely hope in Lisa´s eyes now.

“It´s not that simple, traveling back in time can have serious consequences.” Judging by Barry´s voice, he knew first hand of those consequences, as did she.

“But there´s a chance?”

Barry took a few seconds, but then he sighed, and said.

“Yes, there could be a chance.” Aside from the hope now clear in her eyes, an air of determination radiated around her. Actually pretty impressive since she´d just learned her brother was dead, and then that he might come back. Like a roller coaster ride, Leila though, but those made her feel sick, and this probably should too, but she felt one step closer to what she´d came here for, and that scared her, which also was crazy. She´d used that word a lot today, at least not out loud. She gathered her thoughts, she couldn´t break down yet.

“So you´ll help, Flash?” She asked Barry, she was a bit surprised with how much he´d talked with Lisa here, but she could also tell that he was still hesitant.

“I..” He looked to his friends, but they didn´t look sure either.

“Can we get some time to think about all this?” His eyes now on her.

“Yeah, sure. I´ll be back tomorrow.” She didn´t have any more to say, and didn´t have the energy to answer any more of the questions they sure had. But she had gotten things in motion, and they were honestly going better than she´d anticipated. She pushed off the wall and walked out with all of them looking at her, probably still wondering what the hell had just happened. She took a last glance at her aunt, she looked exactly as she remembered. And she knew that underneath all those layers, much similar to her own, where the scars from years of pain.

 

She’d only made it outside when she heard steps coming running behind her.

“Hey, wait up.” It was Lisa.

She slowed down until her aunt caught up with her. There was an awkward silence before Lisa finally broke it.

“Uhm, so you’re really Lenny’s daughter?” She sounded unsure, nervous.

“Yeah.” She didn't know what else to say.

“And he didn't know about you? I can’t imagine he’d ever leave you if he did.” A small, sad smile started growing on Lisa’s face. No, he probably never would have. Maybe then things would have been so much different. She shook her head.

“No, my mom never told him.”

“What does she think about you doing all this for a man she never wanted you to meet?” Some people might have thought the question rude, but Lisa didn't make it sound that way, and it was only the truth so how could she take offence? And she didn't either. She only felt a pang of sadness.

“My mom died a few years ago.” That seemed to surprised her a bit and she got this look of sympathy.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn't know. How- how long ago?”

“10 years.” The thought had crossed her mind to have Barry save her too, but that would change the timeline way too much.

“Oh. So are you living, uhm, with your grandparents, or any other family? I’m sure they’re worried about you.” Would she have lived with Lisa and her dad if they’d know about her? it still felt weird calling him dad, but Leonard sounded so formal, Lisa had called him Lenny, but that didn't feel right either. Len? She tried it. Yeah that sounded a bit better.

“No, I didn't have any close relatives, and none of my mom’s distant ones wanted me.” It still hurt to say that. “So I was shipped from different foster cares until I left almost 2 years ago when I turned 15.” They had stopped and were now standing outside of Star Labs, Lisa’s motorcycle parked just a few feet away. Lisa seemed taken aback by the revelation that she essentially had no one. It probably brought back memories of how she and Len had only had each other. She couldn't tell her she knew that though.

“So, so you’re alone? How do you, how are you managing to, are you.. are you homeless?” It actually made her happy that Lisa seemed to care, it was different, and nice, even if this whole situation was weird. She wondered if Lisa would be proud if she told her that aside from some “normal” jobs, she stole things for a living. Probably. She almost laughed at that, at least she had something in common with her family. She didn't say that either.

“No I have a small apartment, and I have some uh, part time jobs.” half true, technically. There was silence again before Lisa spoke.

“Would you like to go grab something to eat? Maybe talk?” Should she? She wanted to, but what if Lisa started asking questions she didn't know how to answer? But wasn't this part of what she wanted when she decided to do this? Get to know her family for real? And have them know her? Before she got a chance to change her mind she answered.

“Yeah sure, I’d like that.” Lisa smiled at her, more warmth in it this time. She linked her arm with Leila’s.

“Come on, I’ll tell you all about Lenny, before he’s here to shut me up.” She now sounded confident that they’d be able to get him back, and as if that had been the reassurance she needed, her nerves started relaxing a fraction.

 

****

 

Barry slumped down in the chair as soon as Leila and Lisa had left. What the hell just happened? First Snart has a daughter who apparently knows everything about them, but she hasn’t actually ever even met Snart, or Lisa, or any of them. And then she wants Barry to save him? Cisco seemed to have a similar reaction when he voiced what Barry had thought just seconds ago.

“What. The. Hell. Just. Happened?”

“I don’t know, man.”

“Did that just happen?” Caitlyn sounded just as lost.

“It sure seemed real.” Cisco said.

“What are you going to do, Barry.” He looked at Caitlyn.

“I don’t know, I mean, should I? What consequences would saving Snart have to the timeline?” He thought about it, Snart had technically not been in this timeline, not exactly, since he had been onboard the Waverider, so it was possible that there wouldn’t be that big of a change. But that also awoke a ton of other questions. Like how would they be able to get to Snart if he was on the Waverider? And would grabbing him before he went with them cause an irreversible effect on the future? Barry´s headache grew with each new question. He voiced the thoughts that were making his already fast mind spinn.

“I have no idea.” Cisco sounded as lost as he felt.

“Guys, we can’t forget; what will Leila and Lisa do if we don’t agree? Leila has already shown that she, disturbingly, knows things about us that she shouldn’t have had any way of knowing, another thing that we should definitely be talking about, and Lisa, I’m sorry Cisco, but she can be very dangerous.” Cisco grinned a bit at that.

“Yeah I know.”

“Cisco, not the time.”

“Yeah, sorry, you’re right Barry.” He still had some of the smile left though. Barry shook his head, how had this day become such a mess? He didn’t have to answer right away though, because Cisco’s computer chose that moment to give of an alert indicating someone needed the Flash’s help. He had probably never felt happier about a crime.

 

****

 

_That night Leila saw everything erupt into flames._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? Theories?


	4. Nightmares and Tea-time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for leaving comments and kudos, it makes me really happy!

 

She woke up in a cold sweat, with a scream latched in her throat. She´d been able to contain it this time. The first time she had that particular nightmare, she screamed so loudly her neighbor came knocking on her door, wondering if someone was hurting her. Well more precisely if someone was “coming at her with a sledgehammer.” She had quickly reassured the elderly lady that it was just a nightmare, although she still didn´t know where she´d gotten the sledgehammer part from. Then the lady, miss Benson, had invited her in for tea, at 2 in the morning. It had been tempting, but the remnants of the dream she´d just had were still very visible and fortunately she was able to avoid it. She didn´t want the risk of letting anything slip past the cracks that had formed in her walls. But she guessed that if she woke up screaming too often she wouldn´t be able coax her way out of it.

She had had tea with miss Benson a few times during daylight since then though, when she was sure nothing would slip. But it had been some time since last time now, most of her time and thoughts occupied by the goal she´d worked towards, a plan that was finally set in motion. Her thoughts wandered away from the nightmare, one she knew was real, and went to all the things that had happened yesterday. Barry and the others didn´t jump at the chance of helping, not that she had expected them to, but they also hadn´t shut it down completely, which was a win in her book. And when she went there today she was set on convincing them.

Meeting Lisa was the biggest surprise, but it had gone better than she could have imagined, and dinner had been nice too. They had mostly talked about Len, about how he was as her brother, that he´d gotten her a new bike, a motorcycle, for her last birthday, and how she secretly liked how he spoiled her. She didn´t talk about any of the bad stuff Leila knew had happened, because of course Lisa didn´t know that Leila knew. And she probably hated reliving those memories too. Leila sure did, and it wasn´t even her memories. Lisa had also, with a big smile on her face, talked about the “nicknames” they had for each other, how she called him Jerk and he just as quickly called back Trainwreck at her. Of course her family would have such nicknames for each other, she smiled along with Lisa. For a few moments it had actually felt normal.

Lisa was also coming to Star Labs today, well in the morning since it was currently, she looked at her phone, only a little past 3am. She plopped back down on her pillow, she needed the sleep. Before she fell back asleep, her thoughts began to wander. How would Len react to her, well, existing? She said ´would´ because her mind was made up that they would get him back. But then what? Her thoughts had never dared travel that far. But now she couldn´t help it, because it was so close to actually being “later”, and it scared more than she cared to admit. She let out a tired sigh and was, after some time, able to fall back asleep again. Crossing every finger she had that she wouldn´t dream of the explosion that had plagued her for months, the one she was fighting to finally beat.

 

****

 

When Barry arrived at Star Labs, Caitlyn and Cisco were already there, he gave them each a cup of coffee that he´d bought on Jitters on his way over. He had just taken a sip of his own cup when Iris and Eddie walked in.

“So Snart really has a daughter?” Barry had only had time to send her a brief text last night after his patrol about what had happened with Leila. So he hadn´t had time to explain everything, not that he understood half of what had happened. His exact words had been ´ _Snart has a daughter, come to Star Labs tomorrow_ ´. Not exactly explaining that much, but as soon as his head had hit the pillow he was asleep faster than it took to switch of a light.

“Yes, that´s what she says at least.”

“And you believe her?” He hadn´t told Iris the part about Leila knowing he, Barry Allen, was the Flash, so he could understand the skepticism in her voice, heck he was still skeptical, but there was something about Leila that didn´t make sense.

“I honestly don´t know, she seemed sure of what she was saying, and Iris she-”

“She knows Barry´s The Flash.” Cisco chimed in from behind his computer.

“She what?! How can she know that? Did you tell her?” Did she really think he was stupid enough to go blurting it out to every person he met?

“That´s the thing, I didn´t! And I´ve never even met her before. The first time I saw her was when an alarm went off for a bank robbery-”

“She was robbing a bank?!”

“No, she wasn´t, well it was supposed to look like it, but she wasn´t, she was just waiting for me, and when I got there she almost blurted out my name to the whole crowd. That´s when I grabbed her and ran here.” He told her the rest of what had happened and when he was done she was looking at him as if waiting for him to start laughing and reveal it was all a joke. But when he didn´t, she started talking.

“So let me get this straight, Leonard Snart has a daughter who neither he nor Lisa Snart knew about, but she apparently knows everything about us and now she wants your help saving him?” She still sounded like she was waiting for everyone to crack up laughing. But when none of them did her face grew more serious.

She turned to Eddie, who had been awfully quiet since they arrived.

“Can you check CCPD´s databases and see if you can find something?”

“Yes of course, I´ll call you if I find anything.” She gave him a quick kiss before he walked out. In the past, seeing that probably would have made Barry´s stomach turn with jealousy, but surprisingly he had gotten over Iris faster than he thought. He was starting to see her as his best friend again, which he was relieved about. Because pining after your best friend slash adoptive sister, when she was engaged, and to a good guy at that, wasn´t the best thing, especially not for his heart.

“So when will they be here?”

“She didn´t say, just that she´d come back today.” Iris gave a small nod.

“Okay, have you decided if you´re going to help her?” He hadn´t, so he just shook his head.

“I´m guessing they won´t like a no, Lisa especially.” Caitlyn was right. And if he said yes, the problem still remained on how he´d even know where to run back to.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is a bit slower, but next chapter we´ll be getting somewhere ;)
> 
> Please let me know what you think!


	5. Not Snart anymore

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter things start to happen, also warning there is some violent scenes.

 

Thirty minutes later Leila walked in to Star Labs, Barry was in his suit since Lisa was also coming and she didn't know who he was behind the mask. She was in regular clothes today, a pair of black pants and a hoodie, she still had the same black boots as yesterday, her hair was up in a ponytail, and the cold gun was strapped to the same place on her leg. She looked younger too, he knew she wasn't younger, but it was like it was showing how young she actually was.

“Hi.” She said, walking slowly into the room. 

“Hi, Leila right?” Iris was standing with Caitlyn by the computers.

“Yeah, that’s me.” She almost looked shy? But that wasn't the right word either because when she looked at Barry he could see the fiery determination in her eyes.

“Did you decide?” As straight forward as ever. He had thought long and hard about it, he was just hoping that he was doing the right thing.

“Yes, I, we, will help you.” He gestured to his friends. She visibly relaxed, a fraction at least.

“Thank you.” The room fell silent, she was now standing just a few feet from Barry.

“But, Leila, we don't exactly know how to do it yet. I mean, if we jump back too long before he dies then the change in the timeline could be too big. So right now we don't know a moment we can go too, yet.” He quickly added. But she didn't seem as troubled by that as he expected.

“Yeah I figured, but you’ll still help?” He nodded.

“Yes, if we figure out a way to do it.” She seemed to accept his answer, maybe a bit too fast? and moved to sit down on one of the empty chairs.

“So, is Lisa coming too?” He thought she would but then again he didn't know her that well.

“She said she had something to do in the morning but that she would stop by afterwards.” Since it seemed like there was some time he removed his mask, it felt weird having it on inside Star Labs.

“So, what does your mom think about all this? Does she know?” He can't imagine she’s happy about it. Well, it wouldn’t surprise him if Leila hasn’t even told her.

“My mom’s dead.” The room grew eerily silent. So silent you could probably hear a cricket. They were all looking at her now, but none of them spoke. What should he say? He knew how hard it was to lose his mom, and it wasn't he wanted anyone to go through. He saw a sad smile on Leila’s face.

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Thanks Barry.” He wanted to hug her, comfort her, take away her pain.”

“Why don’t you have Barry go back and save her instead of Snart.”

“Iris!” He was curious too, but it didn’t feel right to ask.

“Sorry, I really am, but I was just wondering. Since Barry said you had never even met Snart.” Iris said apologetically.

“Because my mom died ten years ago, and I’m guessing you’re all familiar with the consequences that could have. And Len” she put emphasis behind his name, as if she didn't like the way Iris called him Snart. “you’re say Snart like it’s a curse word, has only been dead for a few months.”

“Oh” Iris looks like she’s feeling bad now, so does he. She’s basically just a girl who wants a family. Granted that person is a dead criminal she’s never met, but Snart, she was right, maybe he had had a bad tone when he said his name too? But Len sounded so personal, like they were friends. But he wasn’t so bad either, and Barry had believed there was good in him, still did. But was calling him Len blurring the lines? He was pulled out of those thoughts with a question popping up before he could dwell in them. He wanted to ask her who she had now. He had had Joe and Iris when his mom died and dad went to jail, he still had them. But who did Leila have? But before he got the chance she changed the subject.

“Anyway, where’s Cisco?” As if on cue his voice carried into the room.

“I’m glad you asked, I’ve been working on a new prototype for a Cold gun, an improved version.” He smirks as he says the last part.

“You just want to make yours better than mine.” She smirks back and from his reaction she hit the nail in the coffin.

“Maybe…” He says sheepishly.

“I don't think you can do it though.” She’s baiting him on, Barry almost laughs at that.

“Oh no? Come here then, let me see this “awesome” cold gun.” He does air quotes at awesome. And Leila snickers as she walks over to him standing by a working desk. She takes her own gun out of its holster and holds it out for Cisco to see, but she doesn’t let go of it.

As curiosity as he is Barry can’t help but walk over to them, standing to Cisco’s left, Leila on the right side.

“It does look pretty similar.” There was so much he wanted to ask her. Cisco clasped his shoulder.

“Dude, mine looks way cooler.” Except they were almost identical, and he can't help but laugh.

“Uh huh” Sure it does.

“But seriously, how did you manage to build this?” Is that awe mixed into Cisco’s voice?

“Can I try it?” He reaches for the handle, and before she pulls away Cisco’s hand slighly touches hers.

 

He’s standing in a living room, except he’s not. He looks around, he has no idea what this is, whose home this is. But then he hear steps coming down the stairs. Multiple steps.

“You stupid girl!” Down the stairs come two children, a boy in his early teens and a girl a who looks a few years younger, running. The girl first, ushered on by the boy, but on the last step she trips and falls, all the while the voice upstairs grow louder.

“Oww” she tries to stand, but she has a limp. Tears are forming in the girl’s eyes, what could she be maybe 8 years old?

“I can’t run Lenny.” It’s like all the air is sucked out of his lungs. Lenny? The same name Lisa Snart had called her brother yesterday. He was watching young Leonard and Lisa Snart. The boy, Len he realizes, comes to a stop and crutch down to his sister.

“Shhh, it will be okay, don’t cry.”

“You have to get out of here Lenny.” Tears are streaming down her face.

“Silly, do you really think I’ll leave you?” He picks up his sister and carries her towards him. To late he remembers he should duck, but they can’t see him he realizes. Len walks past him without a look at him, which isn't weird cause he’s not really there. But while Len puts on a brave front, reassuring his sister everything will be fine, Barry can see the terror in those ice blue eyes. Anger grows in the pit of his stomach, and he dreads what’s about to happen. Len has just managed to tuck Lisa away behind the couch.

“Stay there until it’s over, promise me you won’t look up, no matter what.” His voice allows no argument.

He casts a last glance at his sister before walking to stand in the middle of the room. The sound of more steps are coming down the stairs and Barry wants to look away too. But he doesn't.

Barging down the stairs come a snarling Lewis Snart. The anger hanging like a cloud of bees around his head.

“Where is she?!” Barry can see Len flinch, but he keeps his eyes on his father, standing in the path between him and Lisa’s hiding place, standing guard like Cerberus guarded hell.

“She’s not here.” His voice is calm but Barry can see his hands shaking.

“Don't lie to me boy!” Barry watches in horror as Lewis Snart raises his hand a slaps his son in the face, leaving a flashing red bruise on Len’s left cheek. But he doesn't cry, doesn’t scream, he just stands there.

“You have one more chance, where is she?!”

“We both know I’m not going to tell you, so just get on with it.” At that Len closes his eyes, as if accepting what’s about to come. Barry wants to scream, scream at it to stop, he wants to move, block his path, punch him. But he’s not really here, he can do nothing but watch as Lewis takes his belt buckle and rap it on Len’s stomach. A scream is stuck in his throat as he sees Len fighting to keep the tears in.

 

The scene in front of him blurs and the next thing he knows he’s back in Star Labs. The whole room is dead silent, Caitlyn and Iris looking at them with concerned eyes. He turns to Cisco and he looks just as pale as he imagine he himself is. Leila looks at them both, horror in her eyes. When she sees him looking at her she snatched her hand, and cold gun away, far from reach from Cisco. She backs away from both of them.

“I.. I gotta go!” She runs out of Star Labs without none of them reacting in time to stop her.

“What the hell just happened?” Iris voice has worry in it. He looks to Cisco, his face still not gotten its color back. Cisco meets his eyes.

“Did you see that?” Cisco´s voice is slightly shaking. The images of the belt connecting with Len’s stomach are etched into Barry´s brain. Lisa crouching down behind the chair, her whole body shaking as her hands cover her ears and tears stream down her face.

He swallows down hard, and nods.

“What? What did you see?” Iris asks.

“Cisco did you just vibe?” Caitlyn asks a bit hesitantly.

“Yeah.” Cisco still sounds shocked, same as Barry feels then. But how had Barry seen it? And why did Cisco vibe something from Len and Lisa´s childhood from Leila when she hadn´t even been born then? It´s not like it could be her memory.

“And you saw his vibe too, Barry? How?”

“Yeah somehow, I have no idea how though. Cisco?”  
“No idea, man. But that was..”

“Yeah”

“What did you see?” Iris asked asks again. His eyes meet Cisco´s, he gulps. It feels horrible to even remember it.

“We sort of saw Snart and Lisa as kids.” That seemed to take them aback.

“But, you vibed from Leila?” Caitlyn looks at Cisco.

“Yeah I know, and maybe it´s because they´re related or something? But guys it was bad.” He had read Len´s file, that their father had been abusive, but seeing it? Seeing how bad it was? That wasn´t something he´d been prepared for.

“What happened?” Iris doesn´t sound as sure that she wants to know now.

He takes a deep breath.

“We saw Lewis Snart beating Len, Leonard.” In that moment it felt just wrong calling him Snart, he just couldn´t. Both Caitlyn and Iris gasp, Cisco looks down to the floor.

“But how? I mean she didn´t see that too did she?” Barry´s horror grew, he hadn´t even thought of that.

“Oh my god, what if she just saw her dad being beaten?” Caitlyn´s voice sounds horrified.

“And she just ran out of here like she was the one stuck by lightning.”

“Should I go after her?” Barry heard how lost he sounded. He didn´t know what to do, he should get her right? Make sure she´s okay?

“Yes, yes you should go get her.” Caitlyn immediately says.

“But what do I say to her?”

“I don´t know but just go.” Iris had barely finished before he was speeding out.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think?  
> And what are your theories on why he vibed that from Leila?


	6. Should I stay, or should I go?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So will Barry find Leila?  
> And why did she run away?

**Chapter 6**

 

He was speeding away from Star Labs, and how far could she have gone? It’s not like she was as fast as him. Soon he realized that she was fast enough, or great at hiding, because he had run through all the blocks and roads closest to Star Lab and he could not find her. And it wasn't like he could go to her apartment because he had no idea where she lived. Damn it! Defeated he runs back to Star Labs. 

“So?” Caitlyn asks. He shakes his head. 

“I couldn't find her.”

“So what do we do now?” The words had barely left Iris’ lips when they heard another voice coming into the room. 

“Do about what?” Oh shit. 

“Lisa, hi.…” 

“Do about what Flash? And where’s my niece, she should be here right?” Lisa looked around, eyes searching for Leila. 

“Well… uhm she’s not here.” Cisco said hesitantly. 

“Then where is she? We were supposed to meet now weren’t we?” She looks down at the watch on her wrist. 

“I’m even late.” She looks at them expectantly, waiting for an answer. 

They all look at each other, none of the others make any move to say anything. Fine he’s up then. 

“Well, Cisco sort of vibed from Leila.” Wait did she even know about Cisco’s powers? He wanted to slap himself, damn. 

“Vibe?” Yup she didn't know. 

“I can see things, visions of people of stuff that’s happened…” she seemed slightly surprised, but she got over it quickly. 

“And you saw something about her and she got mad?” If only. 

“Not exactly.” 

“Come on Cisco, what happened?” Cisco swallowed hard. 

“We saw you and your brother.” Barry could see the exact moment Lisa registered the words, her face going a shade whiter. Cisco looked at Barry, his eyes pleading with him to continue. He didn't want to say it either, the images still replaying in his head. But dragging it out wouldn't make them go away. 

“We saw your dad-” Lisa sucked in a deep breath. And as he continued her hand when to cover her mouth. 

“-beating your brother-” he paused for a second, Lisa had started silently whispering no no no. 

“-with a belt, and you hiding behind a sofa in what looked like your living room.” Lisa’s face had gone white as a ghost. But he wasn't done yet. He steeled himself for the last part. 

“And we think she might have seen it too.” Lisa was frozen, her face paler than Barry had ever seen on a living person before. 

“How.. How.. Why.. You said  _ you _ vibed, how could she..”

“We don't know, but I was touching both her and Ba- The Flash, and he saw and we think she saw too because she ran out a second later. With a pretty horrified expression.” The words were shaking as Cisco said them. Barry didn't even care that he almost exposed him. It didn't seem important anymore, not when he’d seen what probably was one of Lisa’s deepest darkest secrets. Lisa had to grab the computer desk to steady herself. 

“No, no, no, no.” 

“Don't worry Lisa, we’ll find her, make sure she’s okay.” Lisa looked at him. 

“You don't understand, well I guess you do if you also saw. But who would want to have anything to do with that? Do you really think she’ll come back after she’s seen that? Come back to me? Come back for  _ Lenny _ ?!” She was practically shouting but her voice was breaking at the same time. 

“Who would want to have anything to do with a family like that?” Cisco got up from his chair and walked over to Lisa, he pulled her towards him and hugged her tightly. 

“Hey hey, calm down, it’ll be okay, we’ll fix this.” There was such affection in Cisco’s voice, and if Lisa wasn't a criminal, they would have probably been something more, Barry realized. 

“Caitlyn, can you see if you can find where Leila lives? Records, anything?” He felt determination grow inside him. And in that moment he decided that he would do whatever it took to make this right, well as right as he could. 

 

****

 

She had bolted out of there as soon as she could. She had quickly run to a hiding place not far away, and she could see when Barry ran out, probably looking for her, wanting an explanation. Damn! Why hadn’t she pulled away fast enough? And of course it had to be that that he vibed too! Couldn't he have vibed her watching netflix or something? She didn't want them to know, didn't want them to see that. It was enough that she saw it in her dreams. She didn't want other people to see that horrible scene. And how would she explain that Cisco could vibe something from her that wasn't about her? Yeah she would probably have to explain it eventually, but did it have to happen like that? 

She remembered the first time she’d seen that, she’d woken up with a horrible scream, tears running down her cheeks. luckily none of her neighbors had knocked on her door that time. Then she had filled with so much rage that she wanted to go pay Lewis a visit herself. But she had finally calmed down, before she did something stupid. Like breaking into a jail just to beat someone up. 

She shook herself out of the memory. She saw Barry run back into Star Labs, coast clear to go. She knew she had to explain, it was needed for her plan, too. But she wasn't prepared yet. She was just about to walk home when she saw Lisa walking through the front door and into Star Labs. 

_ Lisa _ . 

Damn. She had forgotten that she was going to be there. What would she think when she found out that she had left? Would she think Leila had given up? Changed her mind? Or, no, she realized, they’d probably tell her. Tell her what they’d seen. Lisa was nothing if not persuasive, she´d get them to talk. She’d probably be mad, mad at her that she’d, unintentionally she had to add, shown The Flash one of the memories anyone would want buried. Would she even come back there again? She technically didn't have to be there for them to get Len back. And if Leila walked away now, and then Lisa wasn't there when she came back, would things be unfixable? She didn't want that. But she didn't know what to say to everyone. She hesitated. She didn't know what the right choice was. Her default answer had always been: do the thing you’ll regret the most if you don't do it. Logical right? She’d have to tell them all eventually, maybe not to the extent she’d be forced to now, but some of it. And if Lisa didn't come back, and then when they got Len back- no, what if he got mad too? That she’d shown him as weak? What if he’d leave too and then she’d be all alone again? But maybe if she went back there now, trying to talk to Lisa, maybe it wouldn't be too bad?

She sat down again on the ground. She was getting a headache, and the images were still floating in her brain, along with other events surfacing. No not now, please. She took a breath and counted to ten, slowly. She had decided. Better to take the fall out now when she would have a chance to change the outcome, than to go home instead and then have to muster up the courage to go back and find that she’s too late. 

She stands up, clenching her fists.  _ Come on you can do this _ . Before she can change her mind she turns and walk back to Star Labs. 

  
  


****

 

“-records, anything?” Oh shit! Were they looking her up? She hesitated while still in the corridor. Had they decided she wasn´t to be trusted? She could still turn back, nobody knew she was there.  _ No, she had gotten this far, she wasn't giving up now _ . 

She took a deep breath, and stepped inside the room. She took in the scene, Barry was standing in the middle of the room, looking determined actually, Cisco was hugging Lisa, who looked not angry but sad. That took her aback a bit. Barry was the first who noticed her. 

“Leila!” Everyone else turned to her. 

“Hi.” She said measly, why did she have to sound so small?

“You came back.” By the sound of Barry’s voice, he didn’t expect her to. 

“Yeah, sorry that I, uh, ran out.” She took a closer look at them, they all looked awfully tense, and Lisa looked pale. 

“Did you, did you see Cisco’s vibe?” Was Barry nervous? Why?

“Yeah, so did you right?” Barry nodded. 

“Are you okay?” Was  _ she _ okay? Wait what was going on? 

“Uhm yeah?” 

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t know that I would vibe and I had no idea you could see it.” Wait, they thought she ran away because  _ she _ saw it? It was like a lightbulb lit up inside her mind. They didn’t know she’d seen that before. Well yeah she technically shouldn’t have been able to, but hadn’t they suspected anything weird about the fact that Cisco had vibed it from her? This was her way out, she could pretend the shock made her run out, and nothing else. The thought stayed with her for about a second before it left. She could do that, but it wouldn’t help in the end. If she wanted to save Len, eventually they’d need her help. And now she was already set on telling them, and she had an opening. If she lied now and told them at a later time, it would only make it that much more uncomfortable. 

“It’s okay, Cisco.”

“No it’s not! You shouldn’t have had to see that, it was your dad and aunt. Nobody should have to see that.” Cisco shivered. Yeah nobody should need to see that, but nobody should experience it either, and she felt more sad for Len and Lisa than herself, she was just the bystander. 

“Do you, do you still want to get Lenny back?” Lisa’s question made her do a double take. Wait? What? Did Lisa think she didn’t want to do that anymore? Because of what she saw? 

“Yes, why wouldn't I?” Lisa looked sad, but took a step out of Cisco’s hold. 

“Why would you want to have anything to do with a family like that?” Lisa thought she didn’t want to know them because of that? Didn´t want to save Len? They were the victims! They had done nothing wrong to deserve any of that. She felt both sadness and rage grow inside her. The urge to punch Lewis Snart grew again, if she’d ever met him when he was alive? Oh it would have been something. But he was gone, and yet he still had a hold of them. He didn’t deserve to have that power. 

“None of that was your fault. The only person I want nothing to do with is the one staying dead.” There was a fierceness in her voice. Lisa finally looked up at her then, relief starting to sip into her eyes. 

“Really?” 

“Yes really.” 

“But, why did you run out? We would have understood that it was shocking to see, hell I’m still seeing it play in my head.” Barry shook his head as if to shake the images away. “And where did you go? I ran after you but you were gone.” 

“Come on Flash, don’t you think I’ve learned to hide?” She tried to lighten up the mood, putting on a small smile. But it was tense, and she knew she had to continue. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to say. 

“And I didn’t run out because it shocked me.” She paused,  _ okay here we go _ . “I ran out because I didn’t want you to know that that wasn't the first time I saw that.” Everyone around her gasped. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So next chapter so big things will be revealed! 
> 
> Let me know what you think and stay tuned!


	7. Vision

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally some answers! ;)

First no one said anything, giving out a nervous laugh in this situation is probably bad, right? Yeah not the time.

“You what?” Barry was the first one to find words. And the look of relief on Lisa’s face had vanished.

“Uhm yeah, I’ve sort of seen that scene a few times already.” Most of them as nightmares.

“A few times?” Lisa’s voice was filled with horror.

“How?” Cisco said at the same time.

“Wait, that scene? Have you seen more?” Barry sounded like he didn’t really want the answer.

Cisco’s eyes widened as if realizing something.

“Are you from the future?!” What? How exactly would that add up?

“That would explain how you know Barry’s the Flash!” Cisco quickly covered his mouth. Caitlyn and Iris got a panicked look. But Barry didn't seem to even care though. And Lisa didn't react either. And it was a good guess, that could explain how she knew about Barry, but he was wrong. And besides, it wouldn't explain how she knew some of the other stuff.

“No I’m not from the future.”

“Then how?” Barry asked. Everyone’s attention was on her. This was the first time she’d ever told anyone about this. She sighed.

“Well you see, I have these, uhm, visions, of sort. And no not like you Cisco, not exactly, I think.” He looked like he’d been about to ask about it. But they were similar.

“I see things.”

“What kind of things Leila?” Barry asked, vary in his voice.

“Well, I’ve seen that you are late, a lot.” That’s good, start with the light stuff, she dragged sarcastically.

“I saw how you discovered your powers, and got your powers.. I saw the first time you met Len, and yeah he was kind of a jerk back then.” She tried to make the mood lighter, which was pointless since she was far from finished.

“I’ve seen a lot of glimpses. I can't control them, and some of them are worse than others.”

“You’re a meta.” Cisco said, she could see the wheels turning as he was thinking.

“Yes, they started when the particle accelerator exploded in the first timeline.” Barry reacted at that.

“First timeline?” Of course he knew he had messed with time several time, he didn't know she was aware of it.

“Yeah, part of my powers I guess. You know how you remember things from the previous timeline when you go back and create a new timeline? Well so do I.” Yup shock hung in the air. She could probably slice pieces of it and serve up as pie.

“All of them?” She nodded.

“The big wave?”

“I was actually outside walking when I saw it and then it was as if I had blinked and was back in my room, hours earlier.”

“Savage? Wait do you know-”

“Yeah” that one was extra painful, with the burning alive part and all, she didn't elaborate on it though. Barry started looking paler.

“Flashpoint?” Flashpoint, yeah that one was painful on another level. And what it had told her still made her shudder just thinking about it, but she managed to suppress it a little and nod.

The horrified expressions on the people around her grew.

Barry swallowed hard.

“You’ve remembered all of it? With Flashpoint I went back a decade.” His voice was slightly shaking. As if it dawned on him what he’d unintentionally caused.

“Well like you, I only remember the times I, well technically you, jumped back to.”

And she´d at least seen her mom that time, and it had been both like a gift from the gods to see her again, and a stab of pain that she lost her again.

 

That admission didn't seem to comfort Barry though, he still looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

“I- I don't even know what to say.” Barry plopped down on a chair, nobody else said anything.

So, this went well.

“Have you seen the future?” Cisco asked after a while.

“No, never done that..” She had seen a few things as they happen though. She felt a ting of sorrow at that thought.

“Wow this is-” Cisco drew a hand through his hair.

“Yeah I know.” She let out a strained laugh.

“It must be hard.” Caitlyn said in a warm but sad tone.

“It is what it is.” And it was what was going to help her save Len.

“And I don't regret getting these powers, it’s what’s going to help us save Len.”

“How?” Lisa asked, the first thing she’d said for a while. Everybody’s gazes fell on her.

Too late Leila realized that maybe she’d shared enough for one day, but cat’s out of the bag.

“Well, Cisco you could see one of my visions earlier, and apparently Flash can too, which I didn't know but it’ll only make things easier.-”

“I already know Barry’s The Flash so you can just say his name” Lisa said, surprising all of them, well Leila was already suspecting it so maybe not that surprised.

“Oh shit, I’m so sorry Barry.” Cisco said apologetically.

“It’s ok-”

“I already knew it was you Barry, before Cisco outed you.” That raised more eyebrows.

“How? Did Len-” Lisa interrupted Barry.

“No, but I’m not that dumb you know.” She said as if almost offended, but she brushed it off quickly.

“Anyway go on.” She turned back to Leila.

“Ah, yeah, well you can vibe my memories, I know you did it with Barry’s, so then you can open a breach to where Len was when he died and we save him, it would be easier to jump back further, but it could have too many effects.” She made it sound simple, and she talked as if it was no big deal, like they wouldn't notice the tiny detail she just gave up. And at first it seemed like they didn't really catch on, but she was surrounded by smart people after all, so of course it didn't last long.

“But that means you would have had to-” Cisco’s eyes widened.

“No, no, don't tell me you-” Everyone took in what he was saying and got similar expressions on their faces.

“You saw him die?” Lisa spoke up, interrupting Cisco mid-sentence, her words laced with horror and sadness. They all waited for her, for her to confirm what they’d just said, or deny it.

“I only saw a glimps, very little, not much at all.” She hurriedly reassured them.

“But Cisco should still be able to vibe from it.” She added, ensuring that their plan could still be doable. She tried sounding composed, crossing every finger she had that they would accept what she’d said and not ask about it further.

Because that wasn't the whole truth, no. But she didn't want to tell them, especially not in front of Lisa. She didn't want to say that she hadn't just glimpsed his death. Didn't want to say that it had been like she was there, and not just watching either. It had been like she knew it wasn't just a vision of the past, that what she saw in that vision wasn't a memory, it had been happening right at that moment.

And as she had seen the scene unfold, Len pushing Mick Rory out of the way, she had felt the determination inside of him as if it was her own, the relief he felt of finally doing something right in his life, which broke her heart in tiny little pieces since she knew that wasn't true, he had done many things over the years, just never giving himself any credit for them, thinking he didn't deserve to be good. And she had also felt his fear as he said those final words. And then the crushing pain she felt as he was consumed by the flames, had torn through her in an ear shattering scream and she’d jolted awake.

No she didn't want to tell them that, so she went quiet, indicating that she was done. They all seemed to digest the revelations she’s just made, none of them looking suspicious, except for Barry, who had a strange look as he watched her, but the next second it was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you think? Are you surprised?  
> And do you want more? ;)


	8. Blazing Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I´ve made some small changes to Chapter 7 about the part when they´re talking about Flashpoint, so if you read it before 3/23 - 17, you might want to go back and re-read that part. It´s not a big change for the time being but it´ll play a part later as the story progresses. Sorry about the confusion but I wrote that chapter very late at night (1am oops) so I messed up the time difference making it like 11 years instead of 16 years, and then, since I was already changing it, I added a twist that´ll come later that will make more sense now ;)
> 
> Also hope you like this new chapter! And your comments and kudos makes me so happy so THANK YOU!
> 
> Also just a tease but in the next chapter or the chapter after that you may or may not get a Len pov!  
> So yeah just throwing that out there ;)

He didn't have words. What did you say to someone who’d just revealed all the horrors she’d seen? To someone who had seen things she never ever should have had to? He didn’t know, and nobody around him did either it seemed. But while she’d revealed much more than he ever could have guessed had happened, he still got a feeling that there was something she still wasn't telling them. He didn't know why but she got that look in her eyes for a second and his gut told him there was something he still didn't know.

“So that’s why you sounded so confident we could save him? Because you knew about our powers” Cisco asked in a voice that's hard to read.

 “Yeah, pretty much.”

“Why didn't you come find us sooner?” Lisa still sounded shaken, and sadness laced her word.

Leila got an uncertain look and she bit her lip slightly, as if she was nervous.

“I- I was scared of how you’d react to me, if you’d even want anything to do with me, I’m not exactly normal.” She was looking down to the floor, not meeting Lisa’s eyes. Lisa didn't hesitate and just walked over to Leila and wrapped her in a hug.

It seemed to shock Leila, but the she relaxed and hugged her back. Lisa broke the hug and looked at her niece.

“Don't ever again think that we don't want you, we are family and we take care of each other.” Leila nodded, and she looked relieved, as if she'd expected a very different answer. They stepped away from each other and Leila looked at him and then the others.

“So, you still want to help Barry?” He didn't even have to think twice, if nothing this had made him more determined. And when hearing his name, he remembered he didn't need to hide his face anymore, so he removed his mask.

“We’re going to get Len back, I promise.” He also realized that he’d used Len without second though, it just easily rolled off his tongue, and it felt natural. He didn't give it much more thought, there were more important things to deal with.

“We need a plan, and we need to try your theory and see if it works.” Everyone else in the Cortex nodded, determination clear on their faces.

“Thank you Barry.”

 

“Should we start making a plan right away? If you're up for it?” He was restless to get going now, wanting to make a plan and put it in motion as soon as possible. Leila was thinking the same.

“I’ve been ready for a long time.” A determined gleam in her eyes, mirroring his own.

 “Oh shoot!” Iris exclaims suddenly, looking at her phone with a stressed look. “I’m late for work!” She looks up at them and gathers her bag. “I’m sorry guys but I have to run, let me know how it goes. And Barry, be careful.” She gives him a stern look before turning to Leila with a softer one. “It was nice meeting you Leila.” And with that she’s out of the room.

“Speaking of, shouldn´t you go to work to Barry?”

“Well technically? But I may have called in sick this morning…” He tried sounding sorry but with the new guy, well new to him but who´d apparently been there a while, they could handle things for a day right? And Julian didn´t like him anyway so being hogged up in his lab with him for a whole day didn´t sound appealing.

“And if there´s a crime I´ll be there as the Flash anyway.” They seemed to accept his answer, not sure Joe liked it as much that he skipped work to come up with a plan to rescue Captain Cold.

 

“So how do we actually do this?” Cisco said, and he had a point. The end goal was clear: save Len, but getting there was another matter. He did not linger on the fact that he so easily used the other man´s nickname, the one who not long ago was his nemesis, and he definitely didn´t think more on what he saw Len as now if not his nemesis.

“How did he die Leila?” He realized that he didn´t know how he died. And if Barry was supposed to be able to rescue him, that was an important detail, especially if he was going to save him right before he died.

Leila fidgeted a little.

“Ray said he died a hero, but he didn´t say much more about it.” And Barry had been so shocked he hadn´t even thought to ask.

“Never thought I´d hear one of you call Lenny a hero.” Lisa sounded amused at that, but it was short, strained.

“He saved all of them.” She didn´t look at them when she continued.

“Long story short, they were at this place called the vanishing point, which is located out of time-“ Apparently she saw their expressions change into question marks. “-and no I have no idea how that works, but since you can run back in time and Wally is with his girlfriend on _another earth_ it falls in line with the crazy world we live in.” By now he wasn´t even surprised that she knew about Wally following Jesse and Harry to Earth 2.

“Anyway, they were fighting these timemasters and I didn´t see much but-“ She took a breath, looking pained.

“But I saw Len knocking Mick out, who at first was planning to manually trigger the explosion, and then Sara Lance dragged him away.” Barry didn´t like where this was going.

“And when they were gone he blew the whole place up, the timemasters and himself included.” It looked like she was seeing the scene again, replaying it in her head as she told them about it. And since he´d seen his mother die, seen it enough times in his head, he could imagine how awful it must be.

“Stupid Lenny.” Lisa voice was rasp, emotion seeping out.

He´d known there was good in Len, had told him so too, but sacrificing himself like that? Captain Cold sure knew how to make a scene. He couldn´t help but feel a pang of sadness, the emotion surprised him and he quickly pulled himself out of it, but still it lingered in the pit of his stomach.

It was silent in the cortex for a while, as if the air had gone out of them all.

 

“Not to sound like a downer, but how exactly will we get to this “vanishing point” and how can we go back in time at a place that is outside time?” He wanted to laugh at how a crazy sentence like that one made sense, but not a funny laugh, more like a hopeless laugh. And what Cisco just pointed out was a very big part of this whole rescue, a rescue that hadn´t even begun yet.

 

“You can lock on memories, right Cisco?” Cisco nodded.

“I´ve been thinking that somehow you could lock onto my memory and open a breach, and then Barry could go through it and then with his super speed he can grab Len right after the explosion is set off but before he´s taken down with the rest of the place.” She sounded nervous now that she´d thrown her idea out there, but Barry had to say it wasn´t a bad one, if they could make it work. _If_ being the keyword.

“Why make it so hard, why not just grab him before the damn thing is set aflame?”  
“Because then the timemasters would still be alive, and who knows how that´ll affect the timeline.” Lisa seemed to accept the answer, if she liked it was another thing.

“But how can we be sure that it´ll work? What if we try and instead send Barry into a blazing fire?” He couldn´t help but shudder at Caitlyn´s words, being burnt alive did not sound appealing in the slightest. Which only reminded him that Len had been burnt alive, and he shuddered at that too. And he knew that it was a risk he had to take.

“We´ll practice.” He looked at his friends before his eyes landed on Leila, wanted her to see that he was serious in doing this. “But we´re going to try.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, do you think their plan will work?
> 
> Also Savitar hasn´t appeared yet, but Wally and Jesse has speed.  
> Speaking of Wally were you surprised that he´s on Earth 2?


	9. All the puns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They finally get somewhere and are able to open a breach, but will it work?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, but to make it up to you the chapter is longer than usual and we finally get to see Len!
> 
> And the puns, all the puns.
> 
> Please let me know what you think, kudos and comments are what feed me! :)

Barry´s stomach chose that moment to growl which wasn´t surprising considering how much he had to eat in a day.

 

They all started laughing, breaking up the tension that had built in the room.

“Lunch break?” Barry asked sheepishly.

 “You buying Flash?” Lisa replied with a small grin, so much like her brother´s.

“Despite what people might think-“ Well Len had stated the opposite numerous times. “-being a hero doesn´t pay that much.” Caitlyn and Cisco chuckled.

“But sure, I´ll buy, this time.”

“I would offer Barry, but I´m not sure if you´d eat food bought with stolen funds.” Oh she was definitely teasing him now, smirk on her face and all. He just let out a sigh.

“Ha ha, very funny. So what does everyone want? Thai? Sushi? Pizza?” He looked at the other four people in the room.

“I´m cool with anything.” Cisco is the first to reply.

“Sushi sounds good.” Caitlyn then says.

“I don´t really care either.” Leila says just as Lisa says “Yeah sushi works.”

“Sushi it is then, I´ll be back in a Flash.” Barry says with a cheesy smile.

Five minutes later Barry returns with bags filled with sushi for everyone.

They eat and make small talk, nothing too heavy, and just try to enjoy the calm before the storm they´re about to head into.

 

When they´d finished eating they were all ready to get started. They´d gone down to where the previous breach had been, the one to earth 2.

“We should start by trying it with another one of your memories. Cisco vibe you, and then create a breach for me and then we see if I can get to where you’re thinking of.” He sounded confident, good he thought. If he felt as confident as he sounded was another matter entirely.

“Yeah that sounds good.” Leila also sounded nervous.

“But you need to think of a moment that happened after Barry got his powers, it definitely wouldn´t be good if anyone saw him running and The Flash hadn´t appeared yet.”

“Yeah Cisco´s right, and worst case scenario, if something goes wrong you´ll all be at Star Labs to help, hopefully it won´t come to that since it´ll mess with the timeline, but it´s better than me being stuck in the past.”

“Okay so I just think of a memory?”

“Preferably a good one, well at least one where he isn´t robbing someone, or fighting the Flash, well past-me, that wouldn´t be good either.” Leila grimaced, which suddenly made him wonder if she´d seen many of those, which once again made him feel sad. But then she nodded, drawing Barry out of his thoughts.

“I have a few that should work.”

“How many have you seen?” Caitlyn asks with caution. Leila let´s out a sigh and put on a tired smile.

“Probably too many.”

Barry´s not even sure he wants to know and instead says.

“Okay let´s do this!”

“You have a memory in mind Leila?”

“Yeah I think so.” Barry and the rest of them look at her expectantly.

“So the one I could think of that would work is only a few days after he broke out of jail, the time he went there after killing Lewis.” She almost spat out the name as if it was acid on her tongue.

“I saw when he went to warn you about the Trickster and Mardon, and I don´t think that one´s the best to use.” The all nodded in agreement, Barry walking in on himself in the past talking to Snart would not be good.

“But I have one a few days after when he´s sitting at Saints & Sinners eating, there´s not a lot of people there either from what I could tell, but you probably shouldn´t wear the suit.” She finishes, staring pointedly at the red suit he´s wearing.

“Yeah you´re right.” He flashes away and two seconds later he´s standing there in a pair of jeans, t-shirt, and black jacket.

“This works?”

“Yes that´ll do.” Caitlyn says.

“Also remember Barry, this is only to see if you actually come to the place and time of memory, or if you´re just seeing the memory. You can´t do anything to jeopardize the timeline, especially not do anything regarding Zoom. Also you probably shouldn´t interact with Cold either.” Cisco says in a stern voice, almost surprising Barry. But despite how much it pains him, he knows Cisco´s right. He´s seen firsthand how timetravel can screw things over, and no matter how much he wants to change all things that happened with Zoom he can´t. But he can save Len, so that´s what he´s going to do.

“I know.” is all he says.

“Hang on” Cisco says, walking out of the room and returning a few moments later.

“Something I´ve been working on-“ He holds out a small gadget. “-it sends out frequencies so we can easily track you, I didn´t make it for going back in time, but can´t hurt having it with you. Also I will try to open the breach to the alley behind the bar, but we don´t want anyone else going through it so just go into the bar, see if you´re _there there,_ or if it´s like a memory. and then go back through the breach. Piece of cake, right?” He finishes with a slightly nervous smile. Barry reaches out and takes the tracker and puts it in his front pocket.

“Right.” Barry says at the same time as he swallows hard, piece of cake.

Cisco puts on his glasses and gloves, Barry hadn´t even noticed that he´d picked them up along with the tracker.

Cisco turns to Leila.

“Okay think of the memory.” He reaches out his hand and Leila takes it. Cisco´s face grows concentrated and a few moments later he says:

 

“Okay I´ve got it, you ready?" Barry nods, and Cisco opens up a breach.

_Here we go._

He takes one last glance at his friends before running through the breach.

 

 

Barry is met with a gust of wind as he lands in the alley behind Saints & Sinners. It´s light outside, probably early afternoon, so he looks around to make sure nobody saw him. The breach is half hidden at the back of the alley, not too close to the road, he checks his bearings, nothing off, and walks up to the sidewalk. Barry soon notice that the street isn´t crowded, he lets out a sigh of relief, less chance of someone stumbling upon a breach to the future if there´s nobody around.

 

There aren´t many people inside the bar, but there are a few who´s sitting at tables eating. He slowly walks up to the bar, with the plan to see if he can interact with the person behind it and then get the hell out before he´s made a lasting impression.

The lady tending the bar is faced away from him and shows no indication that she heard him approach, nobody else seems to have noticed his presence either. _Shit, didn´t it work?_

 

Barry hesitantly clears his throat to see if he can catch her attention. To his relief she turns around at the sound and look at him. Barry feels his mood get better, _yes it´s working_.

“What can I get you?” He falters, he hadn´t _actually_ planned to get anything, but not getting anything now would be rude and make him stand out.

“Uhm, I´ll take a burger, and a soda.”

“It´ll be a few minutes.” And then she´s gone through a back door. Smooth Barry, smooth.

Technically he´d done what he was supposed to do and should just sneak out again before the lady came with his burger, he shouldn´t stay here longer than necessary. But as he glanced back to the door he notices a pair of blue eyes following him, and his breath catches in his throat. _Len_.

Sitting at one of the booths, eating a burger, is Leonard Snart, and he´s looking straight at Barry. _Shit, shit, shit_.

Len is looking at him with a raised eyebrow, as if asking him what the hell he´s doing here. Which is a very good question. Should he ignore him? No that would definitely raise suspicion from Len. Who´s only a few feet away from him. _Alive_. That realization makes him freeze, pun definitely not intended, although Len would probably smirk at it. Len who was dead in his time. The reason he was here in the first place. He swallows hard before taking a few steps forward. Act normal. As if that´s ever worked.

As he walks he think of the last time they met in this timeline, it was at Christmas, when he was sitting drinking cocoa out of a stupid mug, one Barry´s pretty sure Len stole and kept. But even then they´d not been enemies, not really. Len had warned him about Mardon and Jesse, and Iris had been there – he falters in his step as a horrible thought comes to mind. He hears Iris´ words replaying in his head _Everyone in this room had a rough childhood, get over it_. More importantly the look he now realizes as hurt that had crossed Len´s feature the second Iris said _get over it_. As if they were diminishing what Len had been though, the guilt crept up inside him, especially now that he´d seen firsthand what Len had been though. Yes, Barry had had it rough too, losing his mom and his dad going to jail, and Iris lost her mom too. But they were still loved, they both had a home, a warm, loving home, they had Joe who took care of them. Whereas Leonard Snart had none of that. He was the one forced to grow up too soon, to take care of his sister but nobody taking care of him. And the one forced to endure all the pain his father put him through, a person who didn´t deserve the title father.

 

His legs feel like led as he takes the last steps to the booth and sit down. Len looks at him with his striking, clear blue eyes, and for the first time Barry see what he hadn´t realized was there before; the scars hidden in those eyes. Now they were as clear to him as rain in a drought. Now when he knew, he couldn´t not notice the pain they held, now that he was really looking, and he felt a pang of sadness well up in him.

“Barry.”

“L-Snart:” Len raises an eyebrow but Barry quickly recover, calling Len Len in this time would not be good since he´d never called the man that before, and suddenly starting to would seem out of place. And he wouldn´t call him that the next time this timeline´s Barry saw hi- with another wave of sadness he realizes that he never did meet Len after Christmas. He´s brought out of it by Len talking again.

 

“Fancy seeing you here, didn´t take this as your kind of scene.” Barry didn´t know why but it felt good hearing his voice, and that trademark smirk he thought he´d never see again.

“I heard they have great burgers.” He said lamely, not that great of an excuse.

“I also wanted to thank you-” Barry continues, and he doesn´t know why but he feels the need to say it. If their plan didn´t work he wanted to say it, there was so much he wanted to say, like how he was sorry for all that happened to him, how he wished someone would have done something to help the little boy and girl who had no one but each other. How he thought of Len as so much more than a villain, than his nemesis, that maybe they could have been friends even, a dysfunctional kind of friendship but still. How much he had missed him even if he hadn´t fully admitted that to himself. But he said none of that, and even if he´d have the guts to do it, it wouldn´t make any sense in this time, or maybe not in any time, and instead finished his sentence with:

“-for warning me about Mardon and Jesse.”

Len looks a bit confused but hides it fast, and nods in acknowledgement.

Barry doesn´t know what to say, not sure what he can say without saying _too_ much. An awkward silence fills the air until the lady comes up with his burger, which he´d completely forgotten that he´d ordered.

“Thanks.” He gets out as she places the plate and glass in front of him. She´d only had time to walk away when Barry´s stomach growls and he immediately feels the blush creeping up his face.

“I guess you did come for the food too.” Len smirks and Barry wasn´t sure if he imagined the beginning of a chuckle.

“Yeah, uhm, with my metabolism I need to eat like a lot.” He says sheepishly.

“Don´t let me stop you, Scarlet.” Barry couldn´t describe the strange joy of being called Scarlet again, and took a bit of the burger to distract himself.

_Get it together Barry._

Len watched him eat with an amusing smirk. He only rolled his eyes, not about to complain seeing him alive, even if that wasn´t really true.

“So-“ He starts in between bites. “-what´s going on with you? Planning any heists.” Barry knew he wouldn´t answer, but he had missed their banters.

“Why? Trying to get one up on me?” He responds in an amused tone.

“Worth a shot right?” He replies back, not really that interested in knowing, just enjoying talking. He finishes his burger in a flash, and he so wants to say the pun out loud, but of course Len beats him to it.

“You sure are fast today.” He groans, but it turns into a low chuckle.

“Why? You think I should _cool_ it down?” Barry puts emphasis on cool, and is sporting a full out grin now.

“You came here to steal my puns? Didn´t peg you for the thieving kind.” Oh it was on.

“I figured someone had to, since you´ve been a bit slow lately.” Should he be concerned with how much fun he had? Probably.

“You sure are something else, kid.” Barry was pretty sure that he saw the beginning of a real smile before it turned to that smirk he knew all too well. He grabs his glass, and takes a big gulp before he says something weird, or before he lets his smile grow too big. After all, he´s not supposed to be acting this way towards Len, but he can´t help feeling happy to see him alive. Especially since at the back of his head, the sinking feeling that if their plan fails, this could be the last time he talks to Leonard Snart. But despite that he shouldn´t stay longer, he should get back to the breach before some unlucky wanderer finds it.

 

He puts the empty glass back down on the table.

“Anyway, I guess I should get going.” Barry says before starting to search his pockets for his wallet, really good thing he brought his regular clothes, aside from the obvious problem of the Flash showing up at Saint & Sinners sharing a booth with Captain Cold.

He´s barely gotten it out of his pocket before Len puts a pile of cash on the table.

“Don´t worry, kid, foods on me.” That surprised him a bit, but he hid it before Len could see.

“Thanks.” Barry replied a bit shyly, which he definitely should not be. Definitely not.

“Someone´s got to feed the city´s hero right?” And damn if he didn´t feel the blush starting to grow at that.

“Thanks Snart.” He said instead, and put on a real genuine smile, because if this was the last time, he wanted to do that at least once.

All the courage he´d been holding onto during the meal was starting to leave him though, so with that he turned around and walked to the door. He cast one last glance at Len, who still stood by the table, a little dumbfounded, which he considered a win as far as that went, before heading out the door and to the breach home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it was a longer chapter than usual, and at first I had planned to break it when Barry went through the breach, but then I though I can´t just leave you all with that without seeing Len, so it got longer, but it was worth it right? ;)
> 
> Was the "reunion" how you´d imagined? And was Barry´s reaction to seeing Len what you thought/wanted it to be?
> 
> Please let me know what you thought!
> 
> And how much do you actually want to see Len for real now? I´m like scolding myself regularly these days, "come on write the next part, I need Len back".
> 
> Anyway, till next time!
> 
> And thank you for all the comments and kudos, they mean so much!


End file.
